The total power sold was just over two million horsepower (2,000,000hp) – the first time this level was reached since 2012.

However, as expected, registrations of agricultural tractors (over 50hp) during the month of December were well below the level of the same month a year earlier (2017).

In December 2017, new tractor registrations were inflated by the inclusion of a large number of units being pre-registered in advance of the entry into force of new regulations.

Therefore, the December 2018 total of 849 tractors was 38% down (year-on-year), but otherwise was the highest figure for December since 1994.

Once the impact of the December 2017 registrations is adjusted for, this suggests that the (new tractor) market actually grew by between 5% and 10% during 2018. That’s according to analysis undertaken by the AEA.